Kinship in color: Marwin Begaye’s vision at the Wheelwright Museum

By Nolan Bruno
Navajo Times

WINDOW ROCK

The Diné concept of k’é takes vivid form in “Visualizing K’é: New Works by Marwin Begaye,” a major exhibition at the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian that has been drawing steady crowds since its June opening.

Spread across the museum’s Schultz Gallery in Santa Fe, the show presents 15 original drawings and paintings by Begaye, an associate professor at the University of Oklahoma’s School of Visual Arts and a master of contemporary Indigenous printmaking. The exhibition runs through March 28, 2026.

Begaye, who grew up on a ranch about 30 minutes from Gallup, blends traditional Diné teachings with modern technique, resulting in works that are both visually striking and deeply rooted in cultural memory.

“I’m hoping that the viewers who go into the Wheelwright Museum really see how rich and how beautiful the Navajo culture is,” he said. “The culture becomes very complex in a way, especially when you are getting into the oral histories, the language, and even the songs.”

K’é, the system of relationships that defines one’s place in the Navajo world, is represented in each piece, but not in a literal way. To create the works, Begaye often listened to historic voice recordings in the Navajo language, allowing the sound of elders’ voices to guide his imagery. “These designs may seem very simple, but they hold a key,” he said. “If you understand these stories and where they come from, the pieces are like maps.”

His clan ties are reflected in the work as well. He is Deeshchii’nii and born for Tsi’naajinii. His maternal grandfather is Tótsohnii, and his paternal grandfather is Dibé Łizhiní.

To read the full article, please see the Aug. 14, 2025, edition of the Navajo Times.

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